Brim Width and Head Size

[Lean'n'mean]

So I'm seeking a bit of advice. Is there a certain formula for determining the right crown and brim for large heads on short fellows?

You want to be wary of charts, formulas & such like regarding which type of hat suits which kind of head shape or physique, you'll probably end up with a style you don't like. What suits us & doesn't suit us is an impossible dilemma to resolve. We our selves are never objective & the opinions of others are just as subjective & it has to be said, there can be a lot of polite hypocrisy out there. After all who can really say what suits us or not & on what criteria would that judgement be based. Someone may wear a hat convinced that it suits them but me (or anyone else) as an onlooker may think otherwise........who's right & who's wrong ?
I believe that if there is a particular style of hat you really like then go for it, as often repeated on these pages, it's not what you wear but how you wear it, make it your own & anything will suit you.

But rest assured, what ever you decide to wear, half the people you cross will think you look great & the other half will think you look like a wally.......that's just life in the hat wearing world I'm afraid.

 

[ferryengr]

To me, hats are the epitome of style and one should not get to worked up about trying to match a brim to the size of their head or shape of their face. I'd like to encourage folks to make the style statement a fine hat allows and enjoy every moment of it. I think if you are enjoying the style of your hat for that moment, your confidence and joy will shine through and overshadow any technicalities of the size of the brim or crown.

 

[hatsRme]

For quantifiable guidance, we need to explore the Golden Ratio again. An age-old, time-tested formula that if nothing else, helps to establish a starting point.

Unless you prefer different proportions. It's still really all up to YOU.

 

[1mach1]

I like all brim sizes. Mine range from 2 1/4" up to 3".
And to think, I used to give my wife grief about handbags and shoes. So, thats what crow tastes like.

 

[hatsRme]

Crow breath! :laugh:

 

[Genuine Classic Gangster]

I finally found a hatter who seems to be able to make me a Milan hat this season.

However, he only offers it with two possible brim sizes, and he cannot deviate from those sizes on this type of hat.

The brim sizes he offers are 2 5/8" or 3 1/4".

If I had my choice, then I would choose a brim size of 2.75 inches.

I am 5'9 and 140 lbs and quite slim. I feel that 2.75 inches brims on my current hats seem to be getting towards the length where they are bordering on looking like they too big for my face & head, although I can make them work.

But I worry that if I go higher than 2.75 inches, then I might end up looking ridiculous.

On the other hand, I kind of would like a 3 1/4" brim because it would give me better sun protection.

And another concern I have is that with my other hats, the brim sizes in the front seem to have shrunk over time, and they became shorter than they were originally when I had first ordered them (perhaps the shrinkage is due to rain, and/or due to them undergoing the cleaning & reblocking process).

2.5 inches in the front is bare minimum size that I would want for a brim, as I feel that any shorter than that looks ridiculous on me and I don't feel comfortable wearing hats with shorter brims.

I am concerned that my upcoming Milan hat's brim might eventually shrink in the front so that it eventually becomes less than 2.5 inches, and if that were to happen, then I would regret having ordered the 2 5/8" brim size.

I can probably change my order up until the time when the hatter puts my upcoming hat on the bench.

So I am making this thread in hopes that you gentlemen can please give me some guidance as to how I might become 100% confident that I am making the best brim size choice for myself.

 

[jlee562]

Go with the larger brim. 3" brims on western style hats were very common during the post war years. If you intend on having some degree of sun protection, wider is better.

I'm shorter and lighter, and my go-to is 3", the custom I built for myself is 3 1/4"

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I finally found a hatter who seems to be able to make me a Milan hat this season.

However, he only offers it with two possible brim sizes, and he cannot deviate from those sizes on this type of hat.

The brim sizes he offers are 2 5/8" or 3 1/4".

If I had my choice, then I would choose a brim size of 2.75 inches.

I am 5'9 and 140 lbs and quite slim. I feel that 2.75 inches brims on my current hats seem to be getting towards the length where they are bordering on looking like they too big for my face & head, although I can make them work.

But I worry that if I go higher than 2.75 inches, then I might end up looking ridiculous.

On the other hand, I kind of would like a 3 1/4" brim because it would give me better sun protection.

And another concern I have is that with my other hats, the brim sizes in the front seem to have shrunk over time, and they became shorter than they were originally when I had first ordered them (perhaps the shrinkage is due to rain, and/or due to them undergoing the cleaning & reblocking process).

2.5 inches in the front is bare minimum size that I would want for a brim, as I feel that any shorter than that looks ridiculous on me and I don't feel comfortable wearing hats with shorter brims.

I am concerned that my upcoming Milan hat's brim might eventually shrink in the front so that it eventually becomes less than 2.5 inches, and if that were to happen, then I would regret having ordered the 2 5/8" brim size.

I can probably change my order up until the time when the hatter puts my upcoming hat on the bench.

So I am making this thread in hopes that you gentlemen can please give me some guidance as to how I might become 100% confident that I am making the best brim size choice for myself.

I too say the wider brim is the way to go for a summer hat. I also think it can look great and not just be functional.

Would you be able to share who is making custom Milan hats?

 

[Who?]

If you worry about looking ridiculous …….. you probably will, no matter what hat you wear.

Is this a dress hat, an everyday and everywhere hat, or other uses?

I think you should set aside your worries, and select on the basis of how you will use this hat, then just wear it with confidence.

 

[Genuine Classic Gangster]

Would you be able to share who is making custom Milan hats?

Wellema. I found him last Summer after a recommendation from this forum, and I had an order placed at that time, but he ended up being unable to get more supply of the straw to fulfill my order, so he had to cancel it and he gave me my deposit back.

He seems to have stopped taking Milan orders for some time, but now he's back to taking them again.

Hopefully this time it will work out, since I have wanted a Milan hat for many years but have been unable to find any hatter who could supply me with one.

 

[belfastboy]

I finally found a hatter who seems to be able to make me a Milan hat this season.

However, he only offers it with two possible brim sizes, and he cannot deviate from those sizes on this type of hat.

The brim sizes he offers are 2 5/8" or 3 1/4".

If I had my choice, then I would choose a brim size of 2.75 inches.

I am 5'9 and 140 lbs and quite slim. I feel that 2.75 inches brims on my current hats seem to be getting towards the length where they are bordering on looking like they too big for my face & head, although I can make them work.

But I worry that if I go higher than 2.75 inches, then I might end up looking ridiculous.

On the other hand, I kind of would like a 3 1/4" brim because it would give me better sun protection.

And another concern I have is that with my other hats, the brim sizes in the front seem to have shrunk over time, and they became shorter than they were originally when I had first ordered them (perhaps the shrinkage is due to rain, and/or due to them undergoing the cleaning & reblocking process).

2.5 inches in the front is bare minimum size that I would want for a brim, as I feel that any shorter than that looks ridiculous on me and I don't feel comfortable wearing hats with shorter brims.

I am concerned that my upcoming Milan hat's brim might eventually shrink in the front so that it eventually becomes less than 2.5 inches, and if that were to happen, then I would regret having ordered the 2 5/8" brim size.

I can probably change my order up until the time when the hatter puts my upcoming hat on the bench.

So I am making this thread in hopes that you gentlemen can please give me some guidance as to how I might become 100% confident that I am making the best brim size choice for myself.

I don't put much stock in the brim width versus stature. My wife is a great example...she is 5'4"/120lbs...very petite. She loves decent sized crowns and wider brims. She looks great in them, feels great wearing them and to me that is THE critical aspect of hat proportions. Made a hat for another very petite woman last week. She was even smaller than my wife and her new hat has a 3 1/4" brim....it looks great on her.

 

[BigHat]

In my humble opinion, because hat wearing is so uncommon these days you're already one up when it comes to style.
There are so many options of brim size, crown height and colour. You can dress up, you can dress down. It's all about what you like, and having the confidence to pull it off. Just browse at the hundreds of photo's of the members on here. They all look great.

 

[Rmccamey]

There are so many options of brim size, crown height and colour.

Bowlers - any color you want as long as they are black


This one is actually black cherry, so I suppose I get half credit!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

In my humble opinion, because hat wearing is so uncommon these days you're already one up when it comes to style.
There are so many options of brim size, crown height and colour. You can dress up, you can dress down. It's all about what you like, and having the confidence to pull it off. Just browse at the hundreds of photo's of the members on here. They all look great.

But I don’t think they all look equally great. I know I don’t think my own hats all look equally good. For me, there is something to proportions, but it’s a range not a hard and fast formula. I know I don’t pull off a 5” brim well, and 1 ⅞” brims also don’t look “right” in me. Because of my face shape, I also don’t think derbies/bowlers look particularly good on me.

 

[ILB Frank]

But I don’t think they all look equally great. I know I don’t think my own hats all look equally good. For me, there is something to proportions, but it’s a range not a hard and fast formula. I know I don’t pull off a 5” brim well, and 1 ⅞” brims also don’t look “right” in me. Because of my face shape, I also don’t think derbies/bowlers look particularly good on me.

Hmmmm... I'd say that, like all things fashion, it's based on the wearer's perception combined with the wearer's concern for what others may think. (Or something like that.)
Anyway, I don't think the 5 inch brim looks bad on you. But it starts with how you feel it looks. I can understand where a wider brim or taller crown can start to feel like it's a bit much.

 

[Rmccamey]

I can understand where a wider brim or taller crown can start to feel like it's a bit much.

If Charlie like 'em, that's good enough for me!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hmmmm... I'd say that, like all things fashion, it's based on the wearer's perception combined with the wearer's concern for what others may think. (Or something like that.)
Anyway, I don't think the 5 inch brim looks bad on you. But it starts with how you feel it looks. I can understand where a wider brim or taller crown can start to feel like it's a bit much.

But it’s not just me and my perceptions. My wife and a few others agree that some hats just don’t look right on me. That’s a distinction from not liking a certain hat: it’s unanimous that the bowlers I’ve tried just don’t work for my face shape.

If it was just all self perception than a hat with a 10” brim and 2” crown with Christmas lights for a ribbon looks good on me but it’s just my perception of how it looks that makes me self conscious. If I was just comfortable under it it would then look good. I don’t buy it. I wear a wide range of hats with a wide range of dimensions, but there is something to proportionality. I think it’s a range, but it exists.

 

[Who?]

I really don’t give a fig for fashion, nor do I care particularly whether my hat looks “right”, although I have been told by objective sources that it does.

As long as my Other Half is willing to be seen in public with me while I am wearing it, I am satisfied.

 

[belfastboy]

I really don’t give a fig for fashion, nor do I care particularly whether my hat looks “right”, although I have been told by objective sources that it does.

As long as my Other Half is willing to be seen in public with me while I am wearing it, I am satisfied.

When my wife wears her Tilley hat when we are out hiking I always walk a good 10-15 paces behind so folks won't think we are together.

 

[glider]

IMO, a hat, any hat, is either a fine-looking hat or it isn't. It has nothing to do with how you look. Granted a 3-inch brim does look smaller on a big head than a smaller head but it's still the hat. I don't care for stingy brims and around 3 1/2 is as big as I go but that is because I think the hats look better with those proportions. Akubra is a company that makes hats to be used as a tool and most of their hats have a bigger brim than the common fedora we see in the U.S. Apparently it gets damn hot in Australia and they need the sun protection a larger brim provides. With that in mind I usually like a larger brim on a straw than on a felt hat, 2 1/2 on felt, 3 to 3 1/2 on straw.